Venetians

by Lodovico Pizzati

  “Father!”

  “My dear daughter, I missed you and your mother so much… and Primo, thank you for protecting them!”

  “I felt it was my duty, Tiberio…” Primo calmly replied.

  “Anyway, I bring news…” Tiberio continued. “I don’t know if it is good news or bad news, but I was told to bring this news…”

  Everyone was staring at Tiberio, waiting for him to continue.

  “Well, Adalulf has been a different man since Opterg… Once King Rothari left for South Italy, at first Adalulf was cantankerous because he had none of the spoils. Now he appears more calculating, it’s as if he has that layer of ashes on top of still hot and burning embers… do you know what I mean?”

  Lucilla nodded, even though her husband’s question might have been rhetorical.

  “Anyway, as I was saying…” Tiberio continued. “He has spoken to the little girl Fabia, your cousin he took as a slave, and he knows that you have been in Patavium, and he figured out you arrived with my cargo boat.”

  Now everyone was definitely preoccupied. This could not be good news, they all thought.

  “Now, what I could not figure out is why he didn’t execute me on the spot as a traitor… Then I thought he might want to use me to lure you in, Primo…”

  Nobody wanted to interject, and after a brief pause, Tiberio continued.

  “And so, after all these winter months - that I haven’t seen you because it was too dangerous for you to come back to Patavium - after a long silent winter, now he tells me to ask you to come see him in Patavium! He says it’s because he has to ‘talk’ to you…”

  “Well, that’s clearly a trap!” Lucilla interrupted.

  “That’s an obvious trap!” Livia seconded her mother. “Longobards are known for these types of deceits ‘Oh, come to dinner at my house!’ and then they murder you. How many of these stories have we heard, uh, father?”

  “I know, it is classic trickery, especially because he has all the reasons to want to kill you… after all you personally killed three of his men!”

  “That’s a definite no,” Lucilla declared, more assertive than usual. “And in fact, now I don’t feel safe even in Ateste. I was hoping he had forgotten about us…”

  “That’s what I say too,” Tiberio agreed with Lucilla. “Let’s forget Patavium, and either stay here or flee somewhere else.”

  Primo was suspicious, not of Adalulf’s message, but of Tiberio.

  “What else did he tell you?” Primo stared Tiberio down. “Please Tiberio, you must tell me the whole truth.”

  Tiberio looked very uncomfortable. He swallowed and, almost choking, he heaved a big sigh and continued.

  “He did not say it explicitly, but he implied that Fabia’s life is at stake. I mean, he treats her like a daughter more than a slave, but if I know Adalulf, and I do, I know he is totally capable of ending her life just to make a point.”

  Primo was pensive. If he did not go, there was a good chance that his little cousin may die because of him, and what kind of life would he be living after that? If he did go, there would be a good chance that tricky Adalulf would laugh at his stupidity and kill him. Primo straightened up and with a look of fierce determination, said:

  “I am going. I am going to see Adalulf, as he requested.”

  A vast fleet was arriving at the Mediterranean port of Taras, the ancient port in South Italy. On deck of one of the ships, Emperor Constans II was scrimmaging with Polo, practicing dueling with swords. Polo had clearly improved as a swordsman, and in fact, he managed to put the Emperor into difficulty. With one last move, the Emperor succeeded in stepping with his left foot on Polo’s sword and he disarmed the young Latin.

  “Very well, Paulus Litius! Very well! You have become a fine swordsman in only a few months. I would fear you in battle!”

  “Thank you, Your Highness, I am not nearly as skilled as you are, but I am trying…” Polo replied.

  “Now, Paulitius, do you know what you did wrong?” the Emperor continued.

  “I believe that tactically, when I advanced, I left my left side open, and in order to protect it I fell off balance lowering my sword…”

  The Emperor interrupted Polo’s detailed account of the scrimmage.

  “Forget the technicalities. When someone will kill you in battle, you will not get a chance to ask for feedback or for a rematch.”

  Polo smiled at the joke, but he was also a bit embarrassed. The Emperor continued.

  “You see… you are young, and chances are you will always encounter more experienced swordsmen. And if they are still alive it’s because they have successfully survived previous battles. That’s their advantage: experience.”

  The Emperor paused, staring at Polo in the eyes. Then he continued.

  “So with an experienced swordsman, you do not want to over attack, because they know all the counter moves! You are young, and you must play to your advantage. Do you know what it is?”

  “No…”

  “You have more stamina, and you are stronger. Take your old opponent the distance. Make him work. Don’t tangle with swords, because he is most likely heavier than you and he will wear you down with his weight and without much effort. I repeat, make him work, make him swing that sword!”

  “I see…” Polo nodded.

  “You don’t know, because you are young, but you have more resistance. For us older men, our main fear is a prolonged one-on-one fight. Our chances diminish because we get weaker faster. Play a patient game! Let your old opponent defeat himself by swinging that heavy sword left and right. He will exhaust himself. Then you go for the kill!”

  “Thank you, Your Highness, thank you for the valuable lesson.”

  “Listen Polo, our roads bifurcate here in Taras. I will continue by land with my army toward Beneventum. The Longobards have encroached too far south, and it is time to break their backs!”

  “I wish I could battle at your side, Your Majesty.”

  “No, you will continue with a few ships under the helm of Gregorios all the way up to Heraclia.”

  Gregorios, ready to start his post as Tribune of Heraclia gave a nod, as he was standing nearby together with Father Leontio.

  “Remember, Paulus Litius,” the Emperor concluded. “You must retake Opterg and Istria. Good luck!”

  The Emperor disembarked with his military guards as Polo, Father Leontio and Gregorios saluted him.

  It was smooth sailing up the Adriatic Sea, and finally Polo spotted the long sandy beaches that separated the calm and murky sea from the marshlands of the extensive lagoon that from just north of Ravenna reached all the way east to Grado. He was finally home. As the ship approached land, the sea port of Heraclia became visible.

  As Polo disembarked with Father Leontio and Tribune Gregorios, he immediately spotted Marcia and her younger brother, Claudio, running toward him.

  “Polo! Polo! You are back!” Marcia was overjoyed.

  Marcia ran toward Polo and hugged him tight. They both started laughing as Polo was hugging her back.

  “Marcia! It is so good to see you again! How are things? Where is Aurelia?”

  “It has been a horrible winter, Polo! I have been coming to Heraclia every time a new ship was approaching. I was hoping every time it would be you disembarking… And you have finally landed!”

  Marcia could not contain herself and she hugged him again in order to hide her teary eyes.

  “Marcia… how are things in Equilium and Torcellum? Where is Aurelia?”

  “Every man of fighting age has been massacred in Opterg. Women and children from the surrounding farmland have fled to the lagoon. Now all villages are crowded. We do not have enough resources for everyone and we are lacking men to fish and work…”

  “Marcia, how is Aurelia?”

  “Polo… Aurelia is a very strong woman�
� the winter has been especially hard for her… she is expecting your child…”

  Polo remained speechless. The rush of emotions that went through him left him immobilized. Absolute joy, but a sense of deep responsibility. Enthusiasm, but plenty of apprehension. He really could not move, until Father Leontio, who was standing next to him interrupted.

  “Polo, it would be my honor to be the priest that marries you to this Aurelia. You must marry her before you engage in any battles in Opterg.”

  “I don’t know if there is much to retake in Opterg…” Marcia continued. “All our fish mongering dreams… that town has become a nightmare. I lost my father, Aurelia lost her father, Paulina lost hers…”

  “Marcia, eventually we are going to retake our lands, but for now you must immediately take me to Equilium.”

  Before Polo left with Marcia and Claudio to go see Aurelia, Father Leontio suggested what in fact Polo was already thinking.

  “Polo, Tribune Gregorios and I will get settled here in Heraclia. Make sure to take some essential provisions to those poor people in the villages, and I suggest you bring your soon to be wife back with you to live here in Heraclia.”

  “I am planning to, Father Leontio. I think we have more supplies to give her more comfort over here, especially since she is about to become a mother.”

  Marcia, Claudio and Polo embarked as Claudio steered the small lagoon boat through the maze of canals that from Heraclia led to Equilium.

  A very serious Tiberio and Primo were entering a building in Patavium. It was Adalulf’s headquarters and two guards escorted Tiberio and Primo into a cozy hall with a fireplace. Adalulf was waiting. The guards slammed the door shut after they entered, and Adalulf greeted the two Latins.

  “Tiberio! You have returned and brought what I asked! I am surprised you did not flee…”

  Tiberio was speechless and serious. He did not reply with his false subservient smiles he always used when greeting high-ranking Longobards.

  “And you are Primo…” Adalulf continued, “…the man who killed Wido just with one rock, Warin with his own dagger in the center of Patavium, and the much feared Castald with one single arrow!”

  Primo was also speechless, and suddenly he spotted Fabia emerging from a corner of the room. His little cousin made him feel relieved. They gazed at each other communicating with their eyes but not their words. Would Adalulf be capable of murdering him in front of her? After all he has done so with the rest of his family, Primo thought.

  “Primo, I know you have passed all last summer up in the mountains with the Cimbrians, right?” Adalulf persisted with his affable manners.

  “Yes, I did.”

  “And you came down and helped them trade: wood for salt, cheese for oil, and all that fun trading you Latins enjoy so much. Right?”

  “Yes, I enjoy trading.”

  Primo replied with pride of the virtues of commercial exchanges. He did not like the tone of the Longobard warrior who seemed to look down upon any activity that did not involve the art of war.

  “Good! Very good, Primo! Would you like to continue trading and help Tiberio in his fruitful exchanges with your Cimbrian friends?”

  “Yes…”

  Primo was a bit confused, while Tiberio had lost his gloomy look and was now listening with raised eyebrows and wide open eyes. Perhaps something good could come out of this meeting… or was it just a cruel tease?

  “Very well then. I would like to concede you free passage through the Brint River, from the mountains to the lagoon.”

  There was a moment of silence. It was obviously good news, but something was not right. This was the cruelest warrior they had both ever encountered. More calculating and less hot headed than Castald was, but definitely capable of much worse things.

  “My lord…” Tiberio interrupted. “It is very kind of you, but it feels like there is more to this meeting, aside from this generous, generous offer…”

  “Yes, Tiberio, yes,” Adalulf immediately admitted. “There is more, and I hate to explain myself, but I have to. You see, I don’t fear you Latins, no more than I fear an ox plowing the fields. You folks are inferior people; you really are, Tiberio… I am baffled that your forefathers managed to conquer the world…”

  Tiberio gave one of his solicitous smiles, accepting the insults of his master.

  “What I fear is my peers…” Adalulf continued, “…and what happened in Opterg I do not like. I do not like it at all…”

  “My lord, if I may…” Tiberio suggested. “You and your peers are subject to a mighty king, King Rothari… It is my suggestion to accept his will…”

  “King Rothari is gone. He finished sieging Ravenna, and God knows how that city is still standing. Now he is down in Beneventum, and if he does not die in battle against Emperor Constans II, he will die in his home in Papia due to illness…”

  Primo and Tiberio were quietly listening as Adalulf continued.

  “You see, Tiberio, before King Rothari’s reign my main threat were not you Latins but other Longobard dukes. Soon King Rothari will be gone, and my main threat are once again the other dukes. Opterg was supposed to be mine. I was supposed to be the Duke of the land surrounding the lagoon and reaching the coastal ports. I cannot afford to have other dukes expand and become sea powers. If I can’t have Opterg, I’d rather it be recaptured by those Latins that are subjects to the Greeks…”

  “So, what do you suggest, my lord?” Tiberio asked.

  “I suggest that Primo ventures into the lagoon and delivers a message to the new Tribune of Heraclia. He might even run into his brother over there…”

  “Wait! Polo is alive!?” Primo jumped in ecstatic.

  “At least according to Fabia… Aside from you, another farm boy escaped, and apparently it was not Fabia’s brother, so it had to be this Polo…”

  Primo could not contain himself. His chest puffed up. He could not wait to go and look for his brother.

  “As a matter of fact, he escaped me twice!” Adalulf continued, a bit amused. “The first time leaping like a frog into the marshland, and the second time, I don’t know how, swimming with a horse deep into the lagoon. Anyway, I am sure he is there living in one of those gnat infested villages…”

  “My lord, what kind of message do you want Primo to deliver?” Tiberio inquired, wanting to get straight to the point.

  “I want him to tell the Tribune of Heraclia when to attack Opterg. It’s about timing…”

  Primo was still excited, but Tiberio was now gloomy again, as he was suspicious that Adalulf was tricking them.

  “My lord…” Tiberio objected, “…the new tribune might have brought some reinforcements from Constantinople, but Duke Gisulf is no dummy, and he is holding the upper hand!”

  “Duke Gisulf is dead!” Adalulf shouted.

  Adalulf did not appreciate Tiberio doubting his strategy and he almost lost his temper. He recomposed himself immediately.

  “Duke Gisulf was recently killed while in battle against the Avars on the eastern front of his land. His brother Grasulf is now the new duke, while Opterg is defended only by his two idiot sons, Kakko and Taso.”

  “Ah, well this changes everything!” Tiberio exulted.

  “I will go to Opterg,” Adalulf continued, “and recruit warriors to chase some Avars that supposedly are running amok our lands – this is a deceit, of course – and Opterg will be left defenseless. Even a group of children will be able to recapture it!”

  “Lord Adalulf, I accept your proposal!” Primo jumped in, cutting to the chase.

  “Of course you accept!” Adalulf answered. “It is such a generous offer I don’t believe it myself! You will get to meet your brother. You will get to live freely in Patavium and see Fabia whenever you want. You will get free passage to catch up with your friends in the mountains… What more could you want?”

 
Tiberio started smiling and laughing, so relieved that this day was not the day of his death after all.

  “It is too good to be true! I must admit that for a moment I suspected I was just the bait for you to capture Primo!”

  “Ha, ha, ha! Tiberio! I am flattered that you think I am a conniving bastard! Ha, ha, ha!” Adalulf laughed. “And you know what would be even funnier? If I was using Primo as bait to lead the Tribune of Heraclia into a trap in Opterg! Ha, ha, ha!”

  Tiberio kept chuckling, but his initial genuine laugh now had faded into a phony giggle, as he was now sweating cold that this might be Adalulf’s true intention. ‘Why would Adalulf admit it, though?’ Tiberio thought all confused… He was too tired and too old for all these emotional ups and downs… ‘Adalulf is a mad man…’

  “Adalulf, your offer is generous, and I believe it not to be a trap. I will do it,” Primo concluded, and then went to hug Fabia. Soon after he exited with Tiberio, and as they left the building Primo told Tiberio:

  “Tiberio, with your permission, I would like Livia to accompany me in my journey into the lagoon.”

  “But Primo, I fear it will be too dangerous for Livia!”

  “The lagoon is my backyard. I believe she will be safer with me crossing the shallow waters, than staying here surrounded by Longobard warriors.”

  “Very well, you have my permission.”

  Chapter 7

  BROTHERS REUNITE

  Polo, Marcia and Claudio were arriving in Equilium. It was now more crowded than when Polo used to live there. As Marcia had said, it was mostly populated by women and children. There were many boys not yet of fighting age, but young teens, about Claudio’s age. Eleonora, Aurelia and Paulina were standing outside their hut waiting by the canal.

  Polo hugged Aurelia, but not too tightly because he was unsure how to deal with Aurelia’s expanding waist.

  “Aurelia, I missed you, and I am sorry I was not here during these difficult times…”

  “I am glad you are back Polo! I knew you would come back! We have missed you tremendously… all of us!”